1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to electrical safety systems, and, more particularly, to an auxiliary fuse block for use in automotive electrical systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
The standard electrical system found in most all automobiles being marketed today provides the owner with a single, central fuse block that is directly connected to the car battery. All power from the car battery is distributed to the various electrical accessories and other electrically powered options that may be installed in the car.
Normally, in an attempt to stem rising expenses, no provision is made in either the central fuse block or in the electrical system to accommodate owner installed electrically powered optional equipment that is not specifically offered by the automotive manufacturer or for which no provision has been made in anticipation of a need.
Accordingly, when the car owner or an after-market installer attempts to add electrically powered accessory items to an automotive electrical system, they are forced to either draw power from an existing line which draws its power through the central fuse block or to run a connecting line preferably equipped with an in-line fuse directly to the battery's posts. In the former case, unanticipated current loads can easily occur on the modified line that can exceed the capacity of the fuse in the block and result in a "blown" fuse and the consequent loss or use of all equipment protected by that fuse. In the latter case, the car owner or after-market installer must be sufficiently aware of what he is doing to prevent installing a unfused and hence unprotected direct line to the car battery. Moreover, most automotive batteries are not designed to accommodate a plurality of individual power lines. In the first case inconvenience may result, in the second case, fire or a fatality may result.
It has become commonplace for a car purchaser to be the owner of an automobile having after-market modifications to the automotive electrical system caused by the acquisition and installation of such electrically powered systems as car audio equipment, mobile telephones, auxiliary lighting equipment and theft alarms. Likewise, the rise of serious accidents due to failed automotive electrical systems that have been modified by either the owner or an after-market installer has become a matter of concern.